Generally accepted idea

A generally accepted idea is an opinion, located between the Stéréotype, the Cliché and the Commonplace. It with the characteristic to admit itself easily, for various reasons:

It is very widespread (Argumentum AD populum). All it besides was heard at least once.
That which transmits it very often regards it as obviously shown.
It is pleasant to admit, because it answers (generally simply) a redundant question, or awkward, or complex…: it helps not to reflect more and is essential insidiously.
It can also be pleasant to admit by its amusing character (Anecdote) who allows to retain it of as much better.

One notes finally that it is often false, so much so that was formed the expression “To fight the generally accepted ideas”, which implies that they can only be fought, and not shown like right. However, like the Commonplaces, the generally accepted ideas are integrated so much in the culture which it is psychologically and sociologiquement very difficult to counter them, even when in all objectivity they are hugenesses compared to the truth and to logic.

Philosophy and generally accepted ideas

Rene Descartes was not the first to pose its reflection on the generally accepted ideas. Nevertheless, it is probably that which put them at the index. It began the First Meditation on Of the things which one can revoke in doubt by this handing-over in question: It has been already some time that I realized that, as of my first years, I had received quantity of false opinions for true (...)

Examples

the Rhume is due cold.

For more details, the article Rhume gives the true cause of it. The speaker has a simple answer to a question which it already raised, and of satisfied thus fully.

the cord S of Violon were made in bowel of Chat.

Actually they were made of half of bowels of Mouton cut in their length, but not of cat.

the depressive people like to take pleasure in their misfortune.

For more details, to see the article Depression. They do not speak easily for reasons much more complex and/or more hidden than a possible car-compassion. It is much easier for the speaker to reject the depressive one than of going to speak to him. This generally accepted idea thus has the favors facility .

the romanticism, it is the side blue flower .

For more details, to see Sturm und Drang and Romanticism. The romanticism as an artistic and cultural movement, has much more bonds with the suffering, loneliness, cruelty, the intransigence, death, the search of the absolute, the rejection of the social conventions that with charming flowerets. It is even with the antipodes side " flower bleue".

Because of the acceleration of Coriolis, the swirls which are formed in the water of the wash-hand basins and the sinks, when they is emptied, turn in the direction of the needles of a watch in the southern hemisphere and the direction opposed in the northern hemisphere.

This direction of rotation is valid for the marine currents and the majority of the winds, with structures of hundreds kilometers in diameter. In the sinks and wash-hand basins, the acceleration of Coriolis is negligible, and in fact small disturbances difficult to envisage decide direction of rotation.

References

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